


To Kill A Lusus

by thatonechapterofwriting



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bloodswap, Alternate Universe- No Sgrub, Gen, I don't want to spoil ships by tagging them because that's not what the story's about, Multi, Murder Mystery, Ships are not going to stay and will probably switch around a lot, Whodunnit, but the ones tagged are just the ones that are starting out, its basically a mix of ace attorney and homestuck babes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-05-15 08:27:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14786970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatonechapterofwriting/pseuds/thatonechapterofwriting
Summary: When a supposedly innocent bronze comes knocking at Feferi Pyrope's door, Feferi decides she must assume her position as their defense attorney.  On Alternia, her client is guilty until proven innocent, and thus, her uphill battle against her prosecutor, Terezi Captor proves to be a challenge. Things only get worse once the murdered troll comes back to tell her side of the story.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Woo! First fanfic on AO3! Hopefully it's alright for a first try :'D 
> 
> **Guide to the Swaps:**  
>  Burgundy-Gamzee  
> Bronze-Equius  
> Gold-Terezi  
> Olive-Kanaya  
> Jade-Karkat  
> Teal-Feferi  
> Cerulean-Aradia  
> Indigo-Nepeta  
> Purple-Sollux  
> Violet-Vriska  
> Mutant-Eridan  
> Fuchsia-Tavros

 

**Atenns City. Downtown. Third day of the Second Dark Perigee. 11:56PM.**

It was a clear, yet foggy night. My client would've been asleep in his hive at this time. He was a late riser. Thank gog he had his moirail to look after him, else he would've been in worse shape than he found himself in. As for me, I was hunting my own moirail down.

Here's what Alternian society doesn't tell you about moiraillegiance. One: it's your only saving grace. Some of the worst trolls I've ever had the luck to run into have been moirailless or at least, had horrible ones. On the flipside, the best trolls I've met all have had great moirails. They completed each other and brought out the best values in one another. That was their job — what they set out to do in the first place. But, two: moirailship has to be a give-and-take or else it can fall flat on its face. Take for example, a lowblood who uses a highblood for protection. They should be giving the highblood something back like a calmer attitude about the world. If they don't, they could lose that moiraillegiance. And, finally, three: never fall in love with your moirail. Why? Because it complicates things. Eventually, you don't see them for the monsters they really are without your guidance. There's no distance. It's just you and them and the filial pails.

I knew these rules and followed them to a tee. My moirail was on the verge of losing me at that moment. He didn't obey _Rule Number Two_. Before I got on my vespa, speeding downtown, I had asked him not to go rioting anymore. Rioting was a dangerous pastime for lowbloods and trolls like him. What else could he have been doing but rioting the minute I turned my back. It was just in his nature to march through the streets with a pitchfork and torch in his grubby mitts. Who was I to stop him? I only desired his safety, but if he wanted to go and risk his life, was it really any of my business? As his moirail, yes, I would like to believe so.

My journey to fetch my moirail came to a screeching halt on the sidewalk between Summoner Str. and Condescension Ave. Now for a little backstory on the street names. For a long time, trolls fought, and still fight to this day, for the rights of lowbloods. Summoner Street was the only street in Alternia named for a blood rights activist and thus, was very historic in that regard. It was no wonder, then, that the latest march for blood rights was taking place there.

Once I parked my vespa, I attempted to wade through the crowd of rioters. The troll I was looking for dressed in grey in an attempt to hide his blood color. Many who marched often did as well. The second identifier to my moirail was his sign which was reminiscent of the Sufferer's — a famous blood rights activist — gallows. However, since many of these trolls desired the same thing as the Sufferer, they also wore his mark even though it wasn't their true sign. Thankfully, I could recognize his voice, and of course, being flamboyant and obnoxiously loud, he was near the front, leading the march.

And so, there he was: Eridan Vantas. A sliver lightning bolt streaked his hair; his horns ended in nubs; his silently incensed, squinting eyes had grey bags and were hidden behind Troll Clark Kent glasses which were taped in the bridge; he donned a crudely sewn rainbow-colored scarf, a stitched up turtleneck, grey khakis, and beat-up teal sneakers; and, he had an ever so slight furious hunch. Claiming to be a descendant of the Sufferer, Eridan kept his beliefs close to heart and did everything in his power to fight for them. It was almost stupid the lengths he went to to stand up against the ancient rules which bound trolls to their blood castes. Once, he tied himself to a ship to try and stop grubsauce imports which were overpriced for lowbloods. Of course, nothing was stopped and he was reluctantly saved by a kind seadweller.

"What do we want?" Eridan prodded the crowd of fifteen or so trolls behind him.

"Blood rights!" the crowd responded with fervor.

"When do we want them?"

"NOW!"

"Eridan!" I yelled as I came upon the troll.

He spun on his heel, coming to a stark halt when our eyes locked. The crowd marched on around us, and some stared as they passed. Colorless sweat began to drip down Eridan's face and his lips became pursed as if afraid of uttering another word in my presence. His whole body clenched, fearing reprimand for one step out of line. It had nothing to do with my teal blood, and everything to do with my dominance in the moirallegiance. My gaze was fierce, and his, darting.

"F- Fef... sorry about all this. You know how it is," he said. He tugged at his scarf nervously. "I was already out and there just so happened to be a riot going on. They swept me up into it, Fef. I was comin' right back to the hive, really I was."

" _Right_ ," I scoffed. "And that's why, Eridan, you were the one who offered to get a new stock of canned meat. It's nearly midnight, Eridan! And— and— how, Eridan, am I supposed to believe you now whenever you tell me you're going out for something specific? How am I supposed to trust you not to get yourself in trouble?"

"Fef, my life is not in your hands. If I die speakin' up for lowbloods, then it's my life juices spilled," Eridan explained, placing a hand on his chest to denote sole blame.

"I wish it worked like that, but trolls are going to look to me as your moirail for an explanation as to what happened to you. You've become a public figure, and it's rather obvious that I'm supposed to be taking care of you. We live in the same hive."

Eridan straightened his posture. "Just hear me out, Fef. You know this is an important issue for me and I'm just going to keep disobeyin' you to stand up for it. There's no point in tryin' to stop me anymore."

I chuckled. "Trust me, I thought about that after you launched a harpoon at the Emperor's personal airship." I gave a slight cough and readjusted my teal shades. "Nevertheless, I am disappointed in you. You are putting us both at risk of being culled. Eridan, I don't want to see you culled!" I burst out. I cleared my throat again. "Please, stop doing this."

"But, Fef—"

"Eridan!" I interrupted harshly.

"Fef, please—"

"Eridan!"

"I can't just—"

_" Eridan!"_

"I can't just sit idly by and let these trolls get walked over!" he said quickly and with passion. "My ancestor would not be deterred from what he believed in and neither will I." he said a little more quiet than he had been.

"I understand," I breathed out. "But please, try to be a little more careful?" I opened my arms for a hug.

Eridan wrapped his arms around me after a few seconds of consideration. I took the action as an agreement to my terms. He pressed the side of his horns against the crook of my neck — something he usually did when pouting.

"Let's get out of here before the drones show up," I said.

**Atenns City. Suburbs. Fourth day of the Second Dark Perigee. 8:09AM.**

Nearly dawn, the fierce, Alternian sun lay dormant, but ready to wake at any moment. At this time, trolls would naturally be ready to sleep through the day. My client would be out at this moment, unusually walking toward my shared hive.

I, a very heavy sleeper, had already drifted off in my recuperacoon when, in the middle of dusk, I was rudely awoken by my hivemate. There, dripping in green ooze from the cocoon, was Eridan. He seemed skittish and unsure of his action. His lips moved but no words were coming out. Both our heads turned to the sound of knocking at the door. Eridan's open mouth closed into a straight line which told me that this was why he had awoken me.

He moved aside and scampered back to his own recuperacoon. I sat in my slime, contemplating this odd happenstance. A glance at my alarm clock gave way to my suspicion of trouble from this knocking patron. With a sigh, I heaved myself up and out of my recuperacoon. I slipped on my robes and plodded up the steps, leaving wet green prints on each. Exhausted from rescuing Eridan at the riot earlier, I let out a yawn before answering the door.

knock knock knock-knock knock. Knock knock.

What an annoying knock. I still remember it to this day.

With no hesitance, I answered the door. If a troll was going to kill me, they might as well have done it at that time. I was ready to go any day, but I wasn't going down without a fight. At all times, I kept a short knife on my person, even while sleeping, and at that moment, I thrust it out in front of me. The visitor held their hands up in fear. Through nearly shut eyes, I recognized fear in the individual. Smelled it, too.

Sweating profusely, the visitor definitely gave off a stench of terror. Their wide eyes peeked over their cracked shades; their long hair was stringy and wet(probably from the sweat which was brown); they had one either broken or sawed off horn; they wore cleats, sweatpants, blue, fingerless gloves, and a tank; most of their body had been replaced by junky prosthetics; and some of their teeth were missing, from what I could tell of their trembling grimace.

"Who are you?" I demanded the information from the stinking visitor. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see behind me that there was a curious Eridan, anxious to know as well.

"I'm— I'm— I'm _not the murderer_. "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had tried to write this story once before with the point of view switching between the twelve trolls but with Eridan being the main character. It really didn't work because the whole story centered around the court case in which Feferi was still the defense attorney. Also I had a really negative take on Erifef(which is one of my otps) and it was just poor writing of both their characters :p


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> buckle up boys this one's much longer than the first chapter now that we've got the world set up: )
> 
> also shout out to yOU if you came here from either of my tumblrs :v

 

**Atenns City. Suburbs. Fourth day of the Second Dark Perigee. 8:13AM.**

 

Cool, refreshing tea touched my lips as I listened to the bronze blood's story. I had harbored him in from the dawn's flaming talons. It was such an oddity that a lowblood such as himself would venture out in the near morning. I knew he was desperate for something. What was he trying to prove? What did he desire? And from me, no less?

My name was always seen jointly with Eridan's, being his moirail. Since he had become an infamous bloods rights activist, he had began drawing attention to us and our hive.  My name was beginning to be tied to certain court cases as well. We co-piloted each other's infamy. It wasn't too long before other trolls started to find our living space. Trolls would picket in favour of the caste system in our lawn rings. It only took the threat of legal action from a teal-blood to drive the yellow-blooded cowards away. I suppose a large iguana lusus and Eridan's freaky magic would also be pretty threatening.

For whatever reason, the bronze blood had some business at my hive and was ready to risk going out in the deadly Alternian sun for it. If not for the protection of my hive's tinted windows, I might've turned him away to recoil into my recuperacoon. But he was here now, and there was no going back. I invited him in to hear him out.

There was some uncomfortability from being in my hive by the way he fidgeted. He couldn't stop shaking his leg, and he was still sweating profusely. His arms quivered when bringing the teacup to his lips. He couldn't even complete the action most of the time, and, when he could, he choked for a few seconds. He was more nervous than a gold-blood being offered up to the Condesce herself. Every move — even the repositioning of my arm on the table — jarred him. Eridan had been rearranging his collections of wands in his section of the respite block; but, being monitored closely by the bronze visitor, he resolved to sit on the counter of our meal block and re-read a spellbook for what was probably the eleventh time. He peeked up from the book every so often which spooked the bronze-blood on the occasion when their eyes locked. I knew he saw something in the strange visitor that I couldn't, but I couldn't yet put my finger on what it might be.

"I'm not the murderer," the bronze repeated his odd greeting after a few minutes of silence.

"Listen, guy, you've told me this already. Sitting down didn't make me change my opinion," I roughly assured him. I took another sip of tea and eyed Eridan. I couldn't look at the gross perspiration occurring in my meal block. It was hard enough having to smell it. I tapped my fingers, waiting for a response. Stopping myself suddenly, I drew a sharp breath when I remembered the skittish nature of my guest. I realized I should prompt him first. "Let's start with a name. I'm Feferi Pyrope. And you are?"

"E— Equius Nitram," he muttered with hesitance. "My moirail is Nepeta Zahhak. I was staying at her hive when it happened."

"Where do you take residence? Normally."

"My hive is far from here. It's on a cliff-side where many musclebeasts gather. She lives in Skelarta— next town over."

"You _walked_ here? All the way from _Skelarta?_ _"_ Eridan piped up. I sent him a glare. It was my interview and distractions would only cause delay in getting to the point.

"Not walked. _Ran._ _"_ Equius nudged his teacup aside and covered his eyes with his hands, pushing up his shades. " The imperial drones pursued me for some time. I'm wanted for the murder of Aradia Serket and her lusus. But—" He gaped at me with grieving eyes. _" I didn't do it!"_ he burst out.

My breathing stirred and my shoulders tensed. Furrowing my brow, I put a hand in the middle of the table to initiate some calm in the room. Eridan moved to our table, wary of Equius. The bronze-blood steadied his breathing and slumped in the chair.

While it was rather shaking to hear of a murder of a troll, there was something especially eerie about a murdered lusus. Over time, as an aspiring legislacerator, I had dealt with cases of murder, but never had I encountered a murder of a lusus. Endangerment, harassment, physical assault, and abuse of, yes, but never murder. To kill a lusus was something even the most insane and raging troll couldn't bring themselves to do. To kill a lusus was not in our DNA.

"Excuse my outburst, please. It's very much unlike me to yell out like that, I assure you. I don't know what's gotten into me. This accusation has just turned my whole life upside down." Equius removed his glasses and began polishing them. It was now that I could see his wavering eyes.

It was always interesting to look at other trolls' eyes. It was the common trait that linked us as a species. Those bulging, bright yellow, black-irised and pupiled eyes. He had bronze bags underneath from lack of sleep but on principal, our eyes were the same.

Equius cleared his throat. "To clarify, I didn't really have much of a life before. I worked on prosthetics made out of whatever junk I could find. My—" he suddenly began smiling "—my latest work has been a robot I constructed all on my own. Unfortunately, there's no soul to inhabit it. It's just a shell."

"You say you didn't 'have much of a life before'. Before _what? What_ happened? You never quite explained." Eridan asked. My brow piqued and his did in return.

"Before I met Nepeta in person," Equius replied, pushing his shades up onto the bridge of his nose. "I came to Skelarta to meet her. We had been online moirails for four sweeps. We're both ten."

I rubbed my chin, trying to wrap my head around the information. "That's quite the long time for never having seen each other in person. How long had you been in Skelarta? Is this also where the supposed murder victim takes residence?"

"Yes, I suppose so. But, it's a dangerous world for lowbloods like me. The system just wasn't meant for us to enjoy our lives. I'm grateful for Nepeta and I'm surprised a teal such as yourself would even allow me into your hive. Compared to someone of your stature, I'm sure I'm very much akin to the dirt beneath your feet."

"I swear I just swept in here," Eridan muttered under his breath as he inspected the floor beneath the table.

"No, no, please don't speak like that. All castes are welcome here. I do not discriminate by blood. I think the system is outdated."

"Apologies. sincerely, but I can't respect that opinion. Surely there is a system for a reason. Else, it would have been gone by now. It must be benefiting someone out there. As for me, and the rust of my lands, we've lost all hope" _(Eridan looked up in despair)_ " in reformation. We cannot hope to rise to the posture of highbloods. We can try by emulating their tastes in culture, but it is vain. Our hope is reputably null and void. Situations like mine now are proof that we will never be seen as more than the color of our blood." Equius took to his tea again. His nerves seemed to have steadied over time. He was a very poised, sipping individual. Even I and Eridan slurped. The tea was even his suggestion. He was a proper troll truly deserving of a higher class. "But, to answer your second question," Equius said after putting his tea down, "Yes, Aradia lived with Sollux Makara, her moirail-turned-matesprit, in Skelarta."

"So you know them personally? Judging by your knowledge of their relationship?"

"That is correct. Aradia used to help me find junk. She had a certain...  _zeal..._ for the Junkyard. It was our old hangout. It doubled as a site for trash and graves for lowbloods. Then, she met Makara and we stopped talking. I didn't see her for perigees. She made one last visit to my residence and that was the last time I saw her. " Equius combed a hand through his hair and looked off to the side. "That was two sweeps ago," he added.

"What exactly occurred on this last meeting? Any bad blood between you two?"

"I was completely out of line, looking back on it. I accused her of abandoning our friendship because of her matespritship with Makara."

"Sounds like a wicked palemance," Eridan snickered.

"Love and romance aside, had you run into her at all during your time in Skelarta? Or Makara for that matter?" I asked while glaring at Eridan who was sipping tea clandestinely.

"There were no run-ins, no. I had heard they were opening a carnival for highbloods when I arrived in Skelarta. They were recruiting freaks for their circus. I overheard some ceruleans discussing it."

"That would be interesting."

"Back to the murders themselves, had the drones searched for any murder weapon? Do you know where their bodies were last seen? Do you even know what her lusus was?"

"I believe they were searching for a sharp object on my person. I have nothing of the sort unless you count a bow and arrow. Mine aren't the best crafted and are prone to breaking. They're very blunt at the edges except when broken." Equius stared down at the table for a prolonged amount of time. "The imperial drones said I had fled the Makara-Serket residence when they found me. I know they were sent by Sollux Makara. My assumption is that the bodies are at his hive. I have no idea what Aradia's lusus was, I'm sorry."

I nodded, content with the information given to me. "I believe that's all I needed to hear. For right now, I think the best thing you could do is turn yourself in."

Eridan leaned over the table and slammed his open palms onto them, startling Equius. "You gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me! You're gonna let him waltz right into the authorities and say 'hey, here I am, go ahead and kill me' or whatever! I don't think you get what lowbloods go through."

"They'll know what's up when he says I sent them."

"Big fuckin' whoop. You're a teal-blood."

"Don't forget who defended that jade in court when he was found running a care center for abandoned wrigglers," I reminded him.

Eridan looked down and pulled at the neck of his turtleneck. "You know, they've started getting suspicious about him still running the center. It's gettin' real hard to keep it on the downlow."

I smiled brightly at Equius. "Don't worry; even if I don't pick up the case, I'll make sure to get a great teal gal for you."

"I— I don't— I don't have any money," Equius stammered, suddenly reverting back to the deathly afraid bronze-blood who first walked through the door.

I shook my head. "I'm not looking for that."

Equius flushed bronze. The smile that formed on his lips was much like a reaction to being told "I love you." He clasped his hands and rested his forehead on them. " _T h a n k  y o u,_ " he breathed a sigh of relief. He stood from the table and pushed his seat in, seemingly finished here.

Eridan raucously rose from his chair. "Please, Equius, stay here for the day. It's dangerous to go out right now." The determination in his eye told me he wouldn't take no for an answer. Or at least, he didn't want to because it wasn't his choice in the end.

"I've overstayed my welcome. I'd rather go to the authorities as soon as possible."

"It _would_ clear up the guilty look for running away if you showed up sooner rather than later. "

Eridan furrowed his brow, his breath caught. He sighed and smiled warmly at Equius. "You're always welcome here," he said. Eridan extended his hand. Equius smiled at it, but walked off without shaking it.

Once Equius had left, the air in the hive seemed almost colder. It was certainly cleaner. Eridan sat back down, took his glasses off, and massaged his temples. I pressed my clasped thumbs against my chin. We sat in silence for what felt like hours but was mere agonizing seconds. The information fed to us by the stranger all seemed to good to be true.

 

 **Atenns City. Suburbs. Fourth day of the S** **econd Dark Perigee. 6:12PM.**

 

We wouldn't get the confirmation until later on in the twilight. Alternia Times made its run at about six and it was in that paper that every detail described by Equius was reaffirmed. I couldn't be stirred from my legal studies to get the mail until around eight, usually. Eridan was typically doing some hivework that the lusus wasn't able to take care of. Thankfully, another unexpected guest came to deliver the mail personally.

When the knock came, Eridan immediately rushed to the door. There was an air of confidence in his strut since meeting Equius. Perhaps he was humbled by meeting him and felt better about his own blood issues. Or, maybe there was something he knew that I didn't. Whatever the case may have been, it was an invigorating change. I hadn't seen him like this since the trial of the jade.

Speaking of, that's who came to visit. Scruffy hair, deep eye bags, and an extreme overbite were all characteristics to describe him. His name was Karkat Maryam and visits to our hive had been a regular thing for him since the success of his trial. Sometimes he brought mail, other times he brought gifts. While I enjoyed his company, I had suspected for a while that Eridan perhaps enjoyed his company a little more. My suspicions were only confirmed when I had overheard an esoteric mumbling coming from him as he fell asleep reading a spellbook.

"I just don't get why they're making such a big deal out of this one. It's not like this hasn't happened before," Karkat complained at the kitchen table.

"It's never been this high of stakes. This is a Makara versus a Nitram."

"Do all highbloods know the generational names?"

"They come up quite often in the history books. Makaras and Nitrams have a history. Never explicitly hostile, though. I just don't know whether I want to be in the middle of this. Sollux Makara is really making a name for himself with this so-called 'Purple Carnival'. Are they really making it a purple-only thing?" I asked Eridan. From behind the paper, he nodded. "This could be a lot of trouble especially with a purple pressing charges. I've never fought that high up the caste."

Karkat reached out a hand. I took it in the middle of the table, past Eridan. "Just know I've got your back if any of this goes wrong."

Eridan nearly choked on his coffee and widened his eyes, drawing our attentions. He slammed the paper down on the table. He could only make random noises not resembling any kind of language as he frantically pointed at a section of Equius' article in the paper. Karkat and I leaned over the table to read it:

 

"Feferi Pyrope named as defense attorney. Charges being pressed by Sollux Makara. Prosecutor to be decided."

 

Karkat raised a concerned brow at me. "Guess there's no more choice left in this?"

My breath was swept from me and my heart dropped.

"Guess not."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its four thirteen am and we out here listening to violet prince dam


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to get out! I've just been busy w tumblr lol

 

  
**Atenns City. Outskirts. Seventh day of the Second Dark Perigee. 9:26PM.**

Rain was more often than not a stimulus for the inner workings of my brain. There was something soothing about watching the rain patter against the window and sidewalk. It allowed me to relax and drop my all tensions and apprehensions. Clearing my thoughts previous, the rain allowed me a fresh start. Though there were just some things I could never shake.

Like, for instance, when a couple days after finding out I was called to defend Mr. Nitram, I stewed inside my hive. Buzzing around my head were ideas and certain thoughts about Equius. I couldn't stop thinking about Eridan's unceasing gaze at the troll. He seemed to know more about Equius than he let on somehow. His story, too, was rather odd and gave him a clear motive for the murder despite the claimed wrong location for it. Eridan was right. It seemed like a "wicked palemance" indeed. And, how would Makara have known to pin it on him if the two had never met? However, more troubling was the fact that he had apparently rushed all the way from Skelarta to my hive in search of a defense attorney. The area was five miles out from Atenns. Trolls weren't exactly known for their running speed.

Hours and hours on end were spent on my loungeplank trying to wrap my head around it. Despite the presence of rain which usually helped me to organize my thoughts, I had no idea what was happening, what had happened, or what would happen in the future.

My case in _Skalbi v. Maryam_ went swimmingly, and it seemed as if all the answers were right there for me. It was quite the easy win for Karkat and I. Every piece fell in place because I knew the law and I knew what was and wasn't acceptable. This case asked me to rely on knowledge of personal relationships. Now, I had to trust information and testimonies rather than cold hard facts.

And, it wasn't like this wasn't my first lawsuit. It was just one that surely had a lot of caste bias compared to the norm. That, and I had never actually handled a murder case, especially one so rare wherein a lusus was killed alongside the troll victim. There was nothing easy for me about this case and I wasn't a detective. It was truly a real stumper that not even the rain could help.

Eridan seemed to notice as he moved to sit down next to me, prompting me to wrap my arms around my legs. He faced me and did the same. The level of concern in his shaking eyes told me that he had been mulling over talking to me for a while now. Yet, the scrunched up grimace told me that he had to hold something back.

"Fef, we gotta talk about Nitram," Eridan sighed. He looked up and pressed his lips together tightly. He gave an exasperated groan. "I don't mean to complicate the case."

"Of course. I'm sure this might help me build my defense," I said, assuming he might have some cannonball to Equius' testimony.

Eridan nodded, satisfied that I was allowing him to speak. However just as soon as he accepted that fact, he shook his head and tensed up. Seemed to me that he wanted to open up and at the same time was unwilling to tell me whatever private business was ailing him. Without any hint of the action, he stood up and walked back over to his wand collection. I couldn't help but stare after him, and when our eyes locked, he blew air and began staring down at the floor. The armoire wasn't even open.

"Eridan, do you need a minute?" I asked concernedly.

Combing a hand through his silver streak, he appeared to be in a more serious contemplation than mine previous. "Maybe we should go out and get some drinks with friends." He shrugged. "Y'know, take your mind off it?"

My attention turned again to the window and the pitter of rain against it. The idea was nice but it was likely more self-centered than he was letting on. Though I was supposed to be focusing on the case, I allowed myself to ponder over Eridan's knowledge of Equius. It was much like a side quest which I found myself more engrossed in than the main storyline, but with the added bonus of helping my case overall. If drinks were going to get me closer to the potential truth, then I was going to take that date.

"Yes, we could go. I just hope you aren't looking to start slamming Faygos."

With a grit of his teeth, Eridan folded his arms. "Absolutely disgustin'. Why would you even suggest somethin' that stupid? I'm not interested in gettin' piss-drunk like Captor's kismesis." He smirked as he had managed to get a chuckle out of me. "I guess grubscrubs are just used to gettin' shit-faced. Really should bring his scourdray everywhere he goes, then. Mop all that honked Faygo up for once."

At that point I could barely hold in my laughter. It was unusual for me to allow him to dog a troll like that, but with the stress of the case, I needed some humor however gross it was. I stood and put my hands in my pockets.

"I guess we should round up the crew then?" I asked.

"Yeah, everyone but Megido. I expect he'll already be at Vernat's, knackered with a couple of empty bottles of Faygo stacked like a pyramid."

I giggled like a schoolgirl and tottered on my heels in subconscious mocking of Megido. "He certainly has the tolerance of a purple-blood, doesn't he?"

Eridan grinned, proud of me for chipping in the least bit on the mockery. "I dunno how. While we're on the subject of soda-tolerance, seems to me like Leijon can keep her fair share of Mr. Pibbs. Is it just me or does she keep a Pibb box? Because Vernat does not carry Pibb. How much of a drinker do you have to be in order to do that? Am I right?"

While he was going on about Kanaya Leijon, I had already grabbed my boater and his scarf off the coat rack(which was a misnomer because neither of us wore coats, not counting Eridan's dim season cape). I held a tender smile as I wrapped Eridan's faded rainbow scarf around his neck. The scarf was salvaged by his lusus as a symbol for unity. He liked to steal things from the beach and bring them back to the deserted ship once inhabited by him and Eridan. It was shame what happened to him. Torn to shreds by my own lusus, the old seahorse had made a valiant attempt to defend his boy. I regret letting my lusus roam about as loosely as I had, but in the grand scheme of things, it was good to meet Eridan.

"Fef? Are you alright? You've just been staring at my scarf." Eridan put his hands on mine which had mindlessly grasped his shoulders. He managed to snap me out of my thoughts. I tried to utter some semblance of explanation, but he read my mind. His mood soured into despondence. "Don't worry about it. I just feel really bad for that Aradia. No one deserves to have their lusus taken from them."

Holding back tears, I slipped my hands out of his clutch and grabbed the rim of my boater, tipping it downward. I turned toward the stairs, ready to depart. "I'll go up and call Karkat and Terezi."

"No, no, let me. You don't have to worry about it." Eridan placed an affectionate hand on my shoulder.

"Then, I'll just warm up the vespa," I said, wrenching myself away from his grasp. I headed upstairs and out of the door.

 

**Atenns City. Vernat's Arena Stickball Dispense. Seventh day of the Second Dark Perigee. 10:03PM.**

 

"I bet Leijon was the first one here. Probably gonna rub it in our inhalin' nubs," Eridan fussed.

I took my helmet off and laid it on the handlebars. I shrugged. "Yeah, but it'll be really cute if she does." That phrase shut him up and piqued his interest at the same time. His wide smirk just caused me to breath out a reserved laugh and smile at the ground.

I got off the vespa and he followed suit. I should've known that as soon as I even whispered so much as an admiration of Kanaya that he would pursue my interest in her til the end of the world. I wasn't the best at keeping things like that in, though. Neither was he, as exampled by the way he flushed completely pink upon seeing Karkat sitting at the bar, chatting with Megido. Eridan quickly changed his expression to one of disgust.

"How can they even hold a conversation while Megido is fuckin' plastered like that?" he asked as an aside.

"Oh, don't look now, but there's Xefros Tritoh, autographing pictures," I alerted Eridan. I knew he had a particular disgust for Tritoh that was akin to caliginous feelings. The blue-blood was known for standing up for lowblood rights, but he had an uneasy and ingenuine feeling about him.

Eridan became extremely flustered and immediately set his sights on Tritoh, going on the attack. Once he was gone and therefore, unable to comment on my potential flush crush on Kanaya, I made my move toward the seat at the soda dispense next to Karkat. I noticed Karkat hadn't yet ordered, so I held up two fingers to indicate a request for our usual order: Pepsi — the drink of kings. They were delivered with the speed expected of the dispensetender.

"Late! As usual!" exclaimed Kanaya, who sat next to Terezi, a few stools down. I couldn't help but grin at her. The rest of the group laughed at the shout-out. I had turned my attention to Karkat at that point.

"So, how's the business?" I asked Karkat.

"Good. Grabbed a couple new little shits last night. Their colors are really fucking odd. I don't if having Eridan take a look at them is a good idea or not. I've just never seen colors so off the caste and he's all a-fucking-bout blood. Is—" Karkat looked around and lowered his voice to a whisper "— is lime acceptable?"

"No. It's definitely not. Punishable by death and extinction of generation."

"Okay, good... good because otherwise I just stole a perfectly good fucking grub out of the brooding caverns." Karkat cleared his throat and began speaking normally. "How's your case?"

"I've discovered a few holes in Nitram's original testimony. I'm gonna have to work with him to get it fixed. And, I think Eridan's hiding something about him. I think he must know him somehow."

"I thought moirails were supposed to tell each other everything. How'd he slip it by you? Listen, Feferi, if one of my grubs are hiding something, I shake the hell out of them until they give it up."

"I cannot just shake him," I said, taken aback by the odd advice. I squinted. "Are you abusing the grubs?"

"I'm not legally required to tell you that, but I can tell you that I term it: 'tough love'. Anyway, sure you can shake him. You just fucking pick him up and fucking shake. It's like shooshpapping except you're the one who's aggravated."

"For someone who's never had a quadrant filled besides a burgundy who's nub-deep in Faygo and sufficiently shooshpapped and shakeyelled by his kismesis, you seem to think you know a lot about moirallegiance," I reminded him, rolling my eyes.

Karkat sipped his Pepsi. "Feferi, I have read countless— don't you fucking start laughing at me!"

I couldn't help but chortle and guffaw at his supposed expertise on the subject of quadrants from reading romance novels. It was so baseless in fact and more grounded in fiction. As I laughed, Karkat admitted to himself a couple chuckles.

"Gogdammnit, you've got me going now too. But, I swear it's true. They call it shakeyelling. It really is the opposite of shooshpapping. And it's not like you'd have to suplex someone like Gamzee. He's just barely fucking taller than me. And kind of pathetic."

We snuck a look at Eridan's small and lanky figure. He was still giving Tritoh a piece of his mind. Karkat raised a brow of surprise when Eridan whispered something in Tritoh's ear and got a slap in return. I wasn't particularly shocked when Eridan came limping over to sit beside me. Sullenly, he ordered a Coca-Cola — quite the strong soda — and began his typical soda dispense sip-and-sulk. He wasn't gonna come out of it for anyone and not until we left. It always was a good idea to just let him mope over a lost caliginous mate.

"Now would be a good time for shakeyelling," Karkat commented on Eridan's state of affairs. He cracked up a bit, causing me to snort.

I shook my head with a smile. "Not really. He'll mope into oblivion until we get home and then rant his head off," I said out of Eridan's hearing range.

A tap at my shoulder caused my to turn around in suspicion and curiosity. Terezi Captor sipped at a Faygo and then nodded toward the door, obviously wishing to speak to me in private. I looked at Karkat with a thin smile and hopped off the stool, following Terezi's lead. Once we were outside, she quickly and surreptitiously jabbed me in my bellowsac enclosures. I gasped for breath, nearly spilling my Pepsi.

"What was _that_ for? " I shouted. My arm wrapped itself around my stomach as I clenched my teeth in pain.

Terezi snarled and threw her drink on the ground. "How could you not tell me you were on that case? I should've been the _first_ one notified! " She took her black shades off and stared at me blankly with hollowed eyes. It was a sorry but not regretful expression.

I took to glowering at her as I crouched in pain. She was what I was too polite for, but the business called a _"justicewhore"_. It was a derogatory term for castes other than teal who hungered for the sweet passion for justice that usually only teal-bloods had a hankering for. She was always on my case about my cases. Whenever it came out that I was involved in a case, she never failed to file for prosecutor. Normally, this would be considered a kismesis, but Terezi Captor felt herself above such a pitiful relationship and instead chose one with Gamzee Megido. Not that I was jealous of him. I felt it was the right choice as I was too busy for romance in any quadrant besides the pale which still proved to be troublesome at times. That didn't stop me from reserving all my hate for her.

"Sorry I didn't tell you about something I didn't even know about," I spat. "Maybe if Nitram told me he was going to blab that I was defending him, I would have notified someone. It wasn't going to be you first though, I can assure you that. The day I don't see your face in court will be so gratifying."

"I just believe that trolls on the wrong side of the law deserve to be corrected before more dire action needs to be taken." Terezi raised a brow.

"And just what dire action are we thinking?"

Terezi slipped her shades back on and huffed. She hadn't thought through her response. "Dire. Really, _really_ dire. " She bared her teeth. "Shit you don't come back from— dire."

"So I assume you've taken Serket and Makara's side?" I inferred.

"You've assumed correct. And, as an added bonus, I'm not losing this time."

"You've conducted interviews already?"

"Well, you might've gotten ahead of me on Nitram, but I made short work of Sollux and Aradia," Terezi snickered. She teetered on her cane with a smug smile.

I squinted. "'Aradia'? Did I hear that right? She's dead. Are we necromancing, here? I feel that's cheating— just a bit."

"I can't explain it. You'll have to go see for yourself when you investigate the crime scene— which, is illegal without court permission, but that hasn't stopped you before."

"As if you've never done anything illegal," I scoffed.

"Nothing that wasn't for the good of trollkind." Terezi sneered. "I still can't believe you got away with Maryam's case."

"You're friends, aren't you? You should be happy for him."

Terezi placed a hand on her hip and waved her cane around. "Of course— I can't thank him enough for rescuing me from Ampora— but that doesn't excuse his actions. We have brooding laws for a reason. The caste is a just system and those who take advantage of it must be punished— no exceptions."

"Don't let Eridan hear you say that," I chuckled.

Terezi rolled her eyes. "Feferi, I'm just gonna be honest with you: I would've dumped him a long time ago. He's always out starting riots and getting in the way of the Emperor. It's really dangerous and you don't need to get involved."

"Ah, being a legislacerator's just as dangerous. You get to build up a tolerance. Now, what's really weird is _you_ and _Megido_. You never liked Faygo until you met him, and if we're being honest with each other: burgundy just isn't your color, " I said, eyeing her fingernails.

She examined her nails. "I make it work. Anyway, it's a kismesis. We make each other do things we don't like to do. You want to know the worst thing we do?"

"Shoot," I encouraged, taking a drink of Pepsi.

"We make each other listen to troll T-Pain," she said as if it was some horrific form of torture. It was. He was notable for being so bad he was good. The autotune put him right up there with troll Kesha who was a terrifying goddess of music.

"Gross," I cringed.

"Anyway, good talk," Terezi said as she poked me in my bellowsacs again. "See you in court."

I stared after her as she re-entered Vernat's. She was just so hateable, and yet admirable for her dedication. It always made me smile when I reminded myself that I still read more law books than her. That didn't mean this was going to be an easy case, though. She was more experienced in murder cases which interested a majority of trolls to which I was an exception. It made me sick wondering how many trolls might have been put to death because of a wrong sentencing handed down by her recommendation to His Honorable Tyranny.

Nevertheless, I looked forward to the heat of rivalry that would surely transpire. If ever I had asked for a challenge, I was definitely receiving it at the hands of Terezi Captor. I was determined not only to yank that challenge out of her hands but to push it right back at her — right in the bellowsacs, too, because revenge is just _so_ savory.

After collecting my thoughts, I resolved to go back inside and try to get information about Equius out of a wwankered Eridan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you guys be interested in Fef getting w someone(Kanaya or Terezi?) by the end of this? It'd probably be epilogue, but I wouldn't be opposed to writing it. ngl I might have to draw some bloodswapped fefrezi over on my tumblr.
> 
> also I made up a couple troll terms?? bc i can?? dispense = bar and grubscrub = janitor. Burgundy!Gamzee is a janitor.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so i realized feferi's character as a teal blood? definitely exactly like the person you're thinking of if you get the references in this chapter  
> i just wish i realized this from the start :') i might go back and rewrite after i finish this

 

**Atenns City. Vernat's Arena Stickball Dispense. Seventh day of the Second Dark Perigee. 10:40PM.**

 

After Terezi's interrogation, I drank the last of my pepsi outside by my lonesome. When I emerged from the admittedly nippy cold back to the inside of the dispense, I didn't expect to find Eridan crying and being caressed by Karkat. I needed answers, dammit, and a distressed witness was never a good witness. All kinds of information could be stretched by the tattered imagination. At the time, I needed as much information as I could possibly get, so whether it was in pieces or distorted didn't matter; it was mine to sort through later.

I took a seat next to Eridan who had taken mine. "What's going on here?" I inquired. What I did not expect next was a sound almost fifty decibels above hearing range.

Eridan squeaked out a completely un-troll-like noise and followed it up with hysteric crying. While soda was meant to suppress the mood and make one forget the present and past, I suppose it had the opposite effect on some trolls. "HE ACTED LIKE HE DIDN'T EWEN KNOW ME!" Eridan shrieked.

Many shooshes were issued by Karkat along with many paps to Eridan. This was more of Eridan's schtick, and it was rather obvious by how unfazed he was by it.

"Can someone tell me what's going on? Why is my moirail suddenly a waterspout of horrifying emotions?" I pursued.

Snide laughter came from a few seats down. Terezi seemed to be taking especial enjoyment in Eridan's misery. Kanaya noticed this and moved next to me — the only remaining seat on our side of the bar.

"He's been like this for a few minutes. Everything up until now has been unintelligible mumbling and sobbing. You came in at the right time," Kanaya explained.

In response to hearing this, I reached out a hand of support to my moirail. Eridan curled away from my reach.

"This is going to fuck everything up. This is so fucked up," Eridan uttered between wails.

"Yo, invertebrother, you think you could... I dunno... keep it down a little bit? You're harshin' everybody's moods my dude," Gamzee lilted. These were my sentiments exactly.

"Fuck fuck fuck..." Eridan mumbled, holding his scarf over his mouth in a rather restrictive way. I furrowed my brow, squinting hard at this action. He wasn't going to open up.

I just couldn't take it anymore. I stood from my seat, yanked Eridan up by the thorax, and began shaking him. "STOP MUMBLING, YOU ABSOLUTE DOLT!" He jittered a tad, once set down. Almost as soon as he was put back down, however, he dashed off to the ablutionblock of the dispensary.

"If your goal was to get information, I believe you have failed pretty dramatically," Kanaya opined.

"Don't look at me." Karkat put up his hands as soon as my gaze drew near him.

"How did you even manage to get someone like him in your quadrant?" Kanaya asked, gesturing to the ablutionblock with a Pibb-glass.

Shame chilled my shoulders as I sat back down, preparing to tell the story. "If I have to explain, then you have to promise not to think badly of me."

"Don't worry, we hate you the regular amount of hate that all trolls deserve," Karkat snickered.

"We were about six sweeps, so we've been living together now for about four. He lived in a sunken pirate ship in bad conditions for a long time. His old hut-hive by the sea was destroyed in a fire set by a seadweller who he had ticked off, I guess. He kind of moved into the ship as a fuck-you, but I think he mentioned something about it being his ancestor's.

"I had just won my first case in Gorjek v. Xigisi in which I had to defend a fellow teal, and had I found some indigo nonsense spray-painted over my own hive. So, I packed up my lusus and went hive-hunting to see if anyone had abandoned theirs.

"We eventually came across the ship, and it was just so terrifying how my lusus just sprang into the water. She sought out Eridan's lusus with an odd bloodlust and completely tore into him. If I didn't wrestle her away from the water, she would've killed Eridan as well. I've no idea to this day what possessed her to lash out like that. I couldn't let Eridan live lusus-less to be found out on an open ship deck by imperial drones so I took him in. Azalea just had to get used to him."

"If I may ask, what is Eridan's blood color? Being his moirail, I assume you know," Kanaya said.

"I don't see how it's hardly any of your business," I rebutted, suddenly finding myself on the defense. Of course I knew his color. If anyone found out though, it could spell his end as soon as it was out in the open. I reclused into a sulking position, slightly bitter with Kanaya.

"It's not. It's fine, Feferi," Karkat reassured me. "I'm sure he's on the hemospectrum. Just afraid to cause a political stir if he came out about his place in the caste? That's what I always assumed."

"Well, yeah, obviously." I smirked, grateful for Karkat having my back. He had to know his color now from watching him cry so closely.

Thankfully, Eridan came back after the conversation had well passed into nonexistence.

"I'm really sorry about that," Eridan rasped, dabbing at his eyes with his scarf. "I can't believe I let myself lose control like that."

"Who would we be without our most extreme emotions taking the controls for us every once in a while?" Kanaya shrugged.

"Feferi, I think you oughta know about my history with Equius. I wasn't able to place him until the guy almost left, but I should've told you right then and there," Eridan sighed, looking me in the eyes. His frown was hesitant and reluctant. I could tell this wouldn't be easy for him to say. "Basically— we fucked." Well, that sure was easy for him to say.

Karkat barked out an odd piece of laughter. He seemed second-handedly embarrassed, a little skeptical, and probably amused to hear someone else say "fuck" more than him. "That was it? That was fucking all? You tore yourself up over that fucking trivial piece of information?"

"Eridan, we are quite aware of your various one-night stands," Kanaya sniggered. "What makes this one so special?"

I shook my head at the green-bloods. "His hesitance is actually understandable. This could honestly destroy Equius' testimony and his chances of winning the case," I said quietly in order to avoid Terezi hearing.

"He was in town just a couple weeks before we saw him. I'd place it at the twentieth of the first perigee. He had been staying with his moirail— that much is true. There was a lowblood riot being held, so I obviously attended it. He was there... and this is going to sound really bad for him... but he was there with Aradia Serket too."

"The girl he murdered? You can't be fucking serious. Jegus..." Karkat whispered. This was getting more complicated than I could have ever imagined.

"Don't tell me you did it with both of them," Kanaya groaned.

"Do you want me to tell you that I didn't have an amazing threesome? Because I'm no stranger to lying about my sex life," Eridan grinned. He examined his nails. "Though, I gotta admit, I really wasn't into Serket as much," he said as he looked up at Kanaya without moving his head. By her inflamed eyes, I could see he was trying to elicit a response from her.

"What was wrong with her?" Kanaya grunted, ticked for a reason invisible to anyone stranger to her own sex life.

"Not into purrbeasts."

"Purrbeasts are amazing," said Kanaya, but I somehow doubted it was because her last name, 'Leijon', was loosely related to purrbeasts. "Better than barkbeasts."

"How do you like it? Well done or ra—"

"OKAY! I'M SHUTTING THIS GOGDAMN CONVERSATION DOWN," Karkat shouted, holding a poker face. He gestured wildly to Eridan, "We get it! You guys did it! So fucking what? Feferi? Cross-examination, please? Without the gorey fucking details?"

I cleared my throat, embarrassed by everyone in my vicinity. "Of course. If he was in Skelarta for more than a day and was actively engaged in at least friendly terms with Serket, then he had ample time to murder her and her lusus. His shaky views of the caste will be on record and used against him if he's claiming caste sympathizer, yet attending lowblood movements. If he was having sexual relations with her while Makara was hanging in the air as a matesprit, then he had the motive for murder. If he couldn't have her, no one could. Classic kill. This doesn't mean that he did it, but it does complicate things and doesn't make him look good. The question now is, do Makara and Captor know?" I said all of this quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. Karkat, Kanaya, and Eridan had to lean in to hear.

"You're gonna have to get this straightened out with this guy," Kanaya said.

"I know, Kan, but I really really don't want to be involved in this at all. I can't believe he declared me as his defense."

"It's not like it's official. Just back out. You haven't signed any contracts yet, right?" Kanaya reasoned.

I sighed with a small smile as I looked up at her. " _Oh, Kan_... you beautiful, naïve, sophisticated newborn wriggler. Why can't the world be like how you see it? I can't back out now. The publicity fallout would just be horrifying. " I waved a hand as if waving the idea away.

Our eyes were suddenly drawn to a slow hand raise coming from Gamzee who was still seated next to Karkat. We thought he had drifted off into La-La Land, or wherever he went when he was drunk, and acted as a nice buffer between Karkat and Terezi. However, it seemed he had been listening intently.

"Hey, sis, can I... pitch in on the issue?" he asked. We nodded. "If I may be so bold... when shit hits the motherfuckin' fan, it's usually a dude like me cleanin' it the motherfuck up. I'm not talking about my job, either, though I usually do and the only reason I'm still doin' it is because the Febreeze smells wicked fine— you should try it sometime. However, it tells trolls like yours motherfuckin' truly, and like Nitram, and like your guy trying to be all up and hidin' in the shadows, and well... damn, let's just put in my girl higher up, Terezi, too. It tells us you're on our side. You're helpin' us clean the goddamn fan. Now, it's gonna get dirty again, but as long as we got trolls high up helpin' us out down the ladder, we can find us all some motherfuckin' reciprocalication and get ourselves a wicked fuckin' ouroboros goin' again like the invertebrothers before us." Gamzee had a nice, calm, peaceful manner of speaking all throughout his monologue that put us all at ease. Though he was always this way, we had no idea he had such a way with words like this. Karkat seemed to melt at his tone more than anyone else.

The dispense was made speechless as Gamzee left his seat, hand in hand with Terezi. The gold-blood sneered at me, eyelessly, as she passed.

**Atenns City. Vernat's Arena Stickball Dispense. Seventh day of the Second Dark Perigee. 11:12PM.**

 

Vernat's dispense seemed to devolve into many fisticuffs from other patrons as the night went on. We all agreed to meet each other at Karkat's communal hive block for drinks next time.

"Heading home?" Kanaya asked, relaxing against the wall where the hat rack was. I picked my hat up and shrugged. "If I were you, I'd go give Nitram a piece of my mind."

"Well, Kan, you sparkling wrathful angel, you have read my mind," I said as I placed my boater on my head. A plan-devising grin touched both my cheeks. "Wanna come?"

"I've decided to check out the Purple Carnival with Karkat and Eridan," she replied with a wink.

My smile was frozen in place. "Kan, _you coy bastard_. "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok at first i was like ok fef and kan prolly not gonna happen im not gonna be able to come up w an actual relationship for them. this chapter hit me like a ton of bricks boys.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a small side story featuring Eridan, Kanaya, and Karkat :) it's important, it's just not Feferi's perspective and it's more self-contained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick detour from Feferi's perspective. Also, sorry this is so late! I've been really busy :')

 

 **Atenns City. Parking Lot of Vernat's Arena Stickball Dispense. Seventh day of the Second Dark Perigee. 11:30PM** **.**

 

"This is your ride?" Eridan sneered in disgust.

Kanaya sighed, looking at her palm, olive from smacking her face. She snapped her head toward him, a clear grimace on her face.

"So, you got a better ride? Last time I checked, Feferi took her Vespa to go down to the jailhouse—chatting up your five-second matesprit," Kanaya drawled, widening her eyes. "Now can we just get in the car and go? I particularly recall someone begging shotgun and I’m about to revoke shotgun rights."

Eridan sneered, a deep chuckle escaping his throat. "Haha, that’s rich. So you wanna talk about matesprits."

Offended, Kanaya put up a finger up in protest. She slowly put it down, her brows coming together in realization. "I really don’t, but in my defense, I was not aware Llonde belonged to a juggalo communal rumpus swarm. So can we go now?"

"Oh, don’t lie— you were into it!" Eridan cackled.

"Just get in the gogdamn _CAR!_ " Kanaya screamed, pounding (and denting) the (already dented) hood of her Beetley.

Satisfied with this temporary win, Eridan happily slid into the car’s passenger seat. Karkat, who was stuck watching the fight go on, cowered into the back seat. Kanaya got in the driver’s seat and slammed the car door shut. The whole thing rocked by her force. It came to life with a turn of the key and shuddered by her foot revving the pedal.

Boredom swept through the quiet Beetley. Watching the road was all they needed for entertainment. At least, it was all Karkat and Kanaya desired. Thumping his foot like a madman, Eridan stewed with a nasty look in his eye. He couldn’t go an hour without insulting someone.

Eridan opened his mouth to say something, but his inflammatory remark was extinguished by Karkat with a quick shush before said remark could be released. A glare escaped the corner of his eye. With a roar of frustration, he clasped his arms together, fuming.

An Eridan with nothing to do was always a curious yet destructive one. Quickly, he took to rummaging through the car. Kanaya occasionally glanced to make sure he wasn’t tearing anything up. Eridan searched through the scattered papers in the window compartment; ran a hand in the pockets of the door compartments; groped the entirety of the sharp objects compartment; and, finally came upon a treasure in shades compartment. He jammed it into the disc processor. About fourteen jabs to the next button left him satisfied and smirking.

"What flaming trash have you just impregnated my disc processor with?" Kanaya asked without taking her eyes off the road.

"I'm sorry but you can’t use that verb and be taken more seriously than a Shakesgeare character. But, also, it is flamin', I will admit," Eridan snarked. Kanaya didn’t seem to want to hear it.

As soon as the music loaded up, Karkat's eyes lit up and Eridan's smirk grew.

 

"You don't have to be beautiful," Eridan, Karkat, and Troll Prince all sung as a trio of wildly different voices, from deep to high pitched. Eridan turned around in his seat to face Karkat with a wide grin. "To turn me on," the two said as if it was to each other. Kanaya audibly groaned at this.

 

**Atenns City. The Purple Carnival. Seventh day of the Second Dark Perigee. 11:34PM.**

On Alternia, cars were a pretty new thing. Most had a Model T-Roll, but there were many other cars on the market as well because trollkind was a jealous and fickle race. Because cars were a relatively new thing, there weren't many laws surrounding them, and speed limits didn't exist. Kanaya was a speed demon in the most literal sense. She didn't particularly care for the safety of her passengers or any other driver and went as fast as her Beetley would carry her. This speed did not mean that Eridan and Karkat were going to stop listening to what was arguably their favorite song of all time just because they had arrived at their destination.

Looming over them like a video game's final boss' final castle, though one which was not yet complete, was the Purple Carnival. Kanaya pulled into the lot of the big top. There were other attractions being worked on such as carousels, wriggler rides, and extravagant prize booths. The big top was just the main event. Still, even with all these interesting things surrounding them, Eridan and Karkat made sure to finish out what had basically became a karaoke duet of "Kiss".

"I just want your extra time and your..." Karkat ended his part by drumming on the back of Kanaya's seat.

"Kiss," Eridan finished, making duck lips at Kanaya, mocking her uptightness.

A blaring honk echoed out into the carnival from the oliveblood slamming her head into her car horn. Her eyes widened farther than she had ever widened them when a mass of purplebloods came flooding out of the big top and from other carnival posts to flock around the car. Eridan pulled his wand from his sneaker, ready to attack. Karkat took a sickle from underneath the car's floorboards. Soon, the Beetley was lifted from the ground by the purple crowd and stolen away into the big top.

Mostly panicking, but maintaining an aura of calmness, Kanaya forcibly opened her door and proceeded to climb out onto the hood. Her groundings were quite shaky as the purplebloods paraded her Beetley around the inside of the big top in a circle. She stood upon it once she got her bearings. With immense attitude, she unsheathed her chainsaw from its lipstick encasing. The roar of the blades struck fear into the highbloods, making them drop the car and scatter into the shadows and out of the circus tent.

Eridan and Karkat shuffled out of the car, ready to attack their now invisible targets. Kanaya stood between them at the front of the car. Their prepared stances stiffened once a loud honk sounded out. It was unlike the car horn in that it sounded as if it was a natural sound made by a troll. Another honk reverberated across the tent. In response, the hidden purplebloods honked twice. Their honking became a chant of two honks in succession of each other. It was as if they were announcing the arrival of something or someone.

Suddenly, the chanting stopped, and what few lights lit up the interior of the tent went out. In the confusion of the silence and darkness, the three lowbloods were taken by what must have been highbloods to the stands due to the intense strength shown by their captors.

Two claps signalled a couple burgundybloods to turn on and shine lime and violet spotlights on the main attraction. In the middle of the tent stood a single purpleblood on a cylindrical platform that hadn't been there before. The purpleblood was dressed extravagantly in his blood color, noticeably lacking the usual juggalo makeup, and donning shades in the shape and color of crescent Alternian moons. He tipped his hat, welcoming his front row visitors.

"Welcome, all, to the beta version of the Purple Carnival!" the purpleblood yelled out, his arms in the air in rejoicement. Though his words may have implied excitement, he was actually rather monotoned. "See, the thing about the 'purple' in the title, is that it's for purplebloods only. And the thing about the 'beta version' is that the carnival isn't completed yet. So, my dear followers, do we know what we do with lowblooded visitors who have intruded upon an unfinished work of miracle art?"

There were scattered whispers. "Kill them?" a purple asked from the shadows.

The ringleader groaned and facepalmed. "Goddamnit, we're not monsters, fuck... no. We just make them wish they were dead!" He threw his hands up in exasperation.

Happy, agreeing chatter could be heard from the shadows. "Of course," they said. "Makara is always right," some said. "That's why he'll be the grand Highblood someday— so smart! What a leader!" exclaimed others.

"I don't trust these purple hooligans," Kanaya whispered to Karkat who nodded in agreement.

After a careful glance behind him at the indigo guards just a seat above them in the stands, Eridan glared at the ringleader. "You're Sollux Makara? I'm sorry, but I pictured someone bigger and maybe a little eathier to underthand. What a thorry ethuthe for a purpleblood. I thought you were thuppothed to be thary to uth lowbloodth."

Karkat and Kanaya, shocked and worried, stared at Eridan. Sollux simply laughed.

"Such insulting words for someone who doesn't know his place in the caste because he probably doesn't have one. I mean come on, guy, you're seriously wearing grey and rainbows? The old days of mercy and miracles are before us. We don't owe you low scum anything anymore," Sollux seethed.

Kanaya stood, tossing all cares to the wind. "We are not here to get into petty arguments about lowblood rights!" she exclaimed, talking somewhat to Eridan though her focus was on Sollux. "We are with Feferi Pyrope and simply wished to get an interview."

"And why couldn't the cross-examiner come herself or at least save it for court?" Sollux growled.

"Well—"

Before Kanaya could get her thoughts out, deafening music began playing. It was extremely bubblegum in terms of pop music which was definitely not the taste of most trolls. Karkat was an exception as he began grooving to the most famous song by a group from Troll Sweden. When Sollux's expression became more obviously dark and grim, the music was lowered.

"I thought you wanted music played during your monologue?" a troll called out from the rafters.

"My monologue was five _FUCKING_ minutes ago! Where have you _BEEN?_ " Sollux shrieked upwards. "And why _ABBA?_ Why _DANCING QUEEN?_ "

No reply was given as the music was promptly turned off.

Sollux sighed and turned his attention back to his audience of three. "I'm sorry, I have no idea who that is. As I was saying—"

He was cut off by the same band being played again. This time, "Take A Chance" was sounded out. "I like their duets!" was the explanation given by the troll in the rafters.

"THEY'RE NOT EVEN A _DUET GROUP!_ THERE ARE _FOUR_ OF THEM, YOU ABSOLUTE FUCKING _IMBECILE!_ " Sollux screeched. "YOU COULD HAVE PLAYED _TROLL HALL AND OATES_ OR ANY OTHER— "

Once the music was switched to "You Make My Dreams", Sollux snapped his fingers twice, and the perpetrator fell from the rafters and onto the floor with a sickening crack. It was unclear if he was pushed by other trolls or if he simply went careening on his own.

"We'll discuss the matters of the case in my office!" Sollux yelled over the still-playing music. Who were the trio to decline?

 

**Atenns City. The Purple Carnival. Sollux's Office. Seventh day of the Second Dark Perigee. 12:03AM.**

While the tent, as big as it was, was extremely spacious, the office that Sollux had given himself was rather cramped and barely fit the four. He didn't seem one for company. His office was made for him and the one occasional troll, it seemed. He only had two chairs in there, after all. Since Eridan and Kanaya didn't want to look lazy in front of the other, Karkat was able to claim the one left. They were able to get better looks at the goldblood heads hanging from Sollux's walls better standing, anyway. He seemed to admire psionics.

"I'm just going to be honest with you, I wasn't actually going to do anything to you. I was just trying to scare you away. Kinda hoped you would've left before that guy started playing weird music. Guess that didn't scare you either. I can't stand anyone outside my caste and barely anybody in my caste. All those fuckers talk about is miracles and shit. All I care about solitary peace and fucking quiet, but I guess if Makaras have to grow up to be the Grand Highblood, then I'm stuck leading these goddamn idiots..." Sollux sighed. "I didn't want to build the carnival, but it was what A-A would've wanted."

"'A-A'? You mean Aradia?" Kanaya asked for elaboration. "Was she a part of the juggalo cult?"

Sollux rolled his eyes. "Yes, Aradia. And, no, she wasn't. I'm not personally, either. I just have to be for my caste. They need a figurehead for some reason, as if Guy Fieri and the Insane Clown Posse weren't enough. Everybody keeps asking me how magnets work... fuck if I know. I'm not really cut out for this." He massaged his temples, staring down at his desk.

"Magnetic attraction is based on polarity and the nature of subatomic particles. That's what I gleaned from jade school," Karkat mumbled.

"Thank you! Thank you! Can you fucking take over for me? I fucking hate having to answer shit like this all the damn time! They act like I have all the answers and what I say is miracles— but, you've actually got the miracles! Please, I'm goddamn begging you!" Sollux shook his clasped hands, exasperated.

"I can't fucking pretend to be purple, are you shitting me? That's a one-way ticket to getting culled, damn," Karkat scoffed.

"But, back to business, Sollux; how did you come to know Aradia?" Kanaya asked.

"She was a reporter for Alternia Times. She loved traveling and meeting new trolls. She was working on a story about the juggalo cult so she just had to interview me. She was cute; she liked me; I liked her; things happened. I'm not sure what information you're looking for, exactly," Sollux eyed Kanaya suspiciously.

Kanaya nodded. "That's all I wanted from that question. Where were you when you found out she was dead? The papers say you were the one to call the drones on Nitram."

"Here. I was going on a bender in my office," Sollux answered. He squinted, sensing a trap.

"So, then, how could you have known she was dead at your residence like the drones have come out and said, when you were here?" Kanaya raised a brow.

Sollux swatted at the air. "Does it matter where the fuck I was? I was here! Getting goddamn drunk off my ass! Here! H-E-R-E! HERE!"

"How would you have known she was dead if you were so far away from your residence? Skelarta's small but not that small. Wouldn't a maid have called first before word traveled?” Eridan asked, his hand firmly pressed on the office desk.

That hand clearly overstepped the boundaries as Sollux produced two knives from under his desk and quickly pinned Eridan to that location with them. Eridan slapped his hand over the grotesque scene. Karkat ducked away to avoid having to look at the gruesome display.

Sollux glared at Eridan intently. "My story is not changing, and I will see you in court for inflammatory fucking remarks. We don't have maids, and never will. A-A was completely against that. She loves talking with lowblood scum like the lot of you and would've hated to see anyone in such a low position. She loved having visitors and worked her ass off to make the mansion presentable."

"I'm sorry, but a lot of that was in present tense. You must not be over Aradia. My sincerest condolences— I know what it's like to lose a matesprit," Kanaya attempted to empathize with Sollux. He sneered at her.

"You can't hope to ever even begin to understand my pain. I would kill you on the spot for saying something so fucking moronic, but I'll let you off with a warning." Sollux's eyes glossed over. "Leave this place, and never come back."

Complacent, Kanaya and Karkat left without hesitation. Eyes clenched tight from the pain of the knives, Eridan was unable to heed this word. He stared after the greenbloods, chilled from their sudden abandonment of him. He pounded his fist on the desk after numerous failed attempts to shout after them.

 

**Atenns City. Skelarta Highway. Eighth day of the Second Dark Perigee. 12:42AM.**

"Do you feel like we're forgetting something?"

Karkat snapped his head up and out of his thoughts. He looked at Kanaya dazedly. "Wh-huh? Wh— what are we forgetting?"

"I get this nagging feeling that when we left the bar, you were in the backseat, but I can't think of why," Kanaya explained. She took her eyes off the road for a moment to glance at her car's music player. "Can you turn on the radio? I can't focus with just my thoughts. I can't stop thinking of those capricious clowns."

"Same. Fucking same."

Karkat jabbed at a couple buttons, allowing the oldies station to play. Oldies stations were always a universal constant, much like most troll music(except One Direction, there was nothing nor would there ever be anything like them to grace the universe again), and also, more unrelatedly, like fuzzy pink handcuffs. He almost stood in his seat when Kiss by Troll Prince came on in the middle of the chorus.

"Holy fucking shit! Kanaya, I just realized something," Karkat gasped.

"What? What's wrong?"

"This song would sound so much better if three people were singing at once."

"If you're trying to ask me to sing along with you, you're asking the wrong person," Kanaya dead-panned.

"Gog, you're so fucking boring! Can you not indulge yourself in a little Troll Prince for once? You've got all his fucking CDs!" Karkat groaned.

"I indulge in my me time. Other than, I at least attempt to keep myself presentable and professional," Kanaya said coldly. "Maybe someone like Feferi or Eridan would sing with you, but as for me—"

When the realization finally hit, Kanaya did a complete 180 on the highway and sped off in the direction of the carnival, ignoring all non-existent but unspoken laws of the road.

"How the fuck did we forget Eridan?" Karkat freaked out.

"I told you, I don't trust a single thing about those purple charlatans!" Kanaya roared. "I don't like Vantas, but I'll be hung by Pyrope if I let him get culled by some clown flimflammery!"

 

**Atenns City. Purple Carnival Big Top. Eighth day of the Second Dark Perigee. 1:04AM.**

Absolute darkness greeted the greenblooded duo at the circus tent. Kanaya unsheathed and revved up her chainsaw while Karkat swung around his sickle. Everything was a little too quiet. When they least expected it, the spotlights were shone down on them at the entrance, and at a simple magic trick set up in the middle of the tent. There stood Sollux over Eridan who was trapped in a splitting box. Purplebloods started cheering in the stands.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my fellow miracle-blooded fiends, let's give a warm welcome to my lovely ex-juggalo assistant, Kanaya Leijon!" Sollux announced, receiving many hoots and hollers in response. "Funny how much information you can glean from a terrifying interview of a mutie who's scared shitless," Sollux said quietly, aiming the sentence at Kanaya and Karkat.

Feeling she had no choice, and having the chance to get a better position against Sollux, Kanaya darted to his side, chainsaw blazing. Not missing out on her shot, Kanaya swung her blade at Sollux, only for him to disappear.

"Oh, darling, I'm never going to be that close!" Sollux chortled from his place in the front row of the audience. He pressed his two forefingers against the side of his head. "Aradia isn't the only one with mind tricks— don't be stupid! Dating a Llonde, you'd think you'd be used to that!"

Kanaya roared at him in fury, revving her chainsaw again. Her guttural scream was only met with more cheers from the audience.

"Let's channel that anger into some fun, shall we? For the next trick of the night, Leijon will cut the ever-so fickle Eridan in half! Will he be put back together again? God, we hope not!" Sollux laughed along with the crowd which was getting really worked up over this.

"Kanaya, let's get the fuck out of here! Just put the chainsaw up and roll him out!" Karkat yelled from the entrance.

Kanaya looked at him and then at the wheels under the table which was holding Eridan up. She pondered on the decision, but had barely any time to consider her choice as Indigos soon descended upon Karkat and pushed him to the ground.

"Cut the mutie in half or the jade gets it!" Sollux declared.

"Kan, if I may... I know I'm not your favorite troll, but can you _please_ look deep in that thing you call a bloodpumper and consider our acquaintanceship?" Eridan pleaded, sweating pink with terror.

Kanaya held the chainsaw directly over the boxes, ready to come down on them.

"KAN! Kan, just think about Fef. How fuckin' upset would she be if you _killed_ me? " Eridan panicked, his voice now higher than Troll Prince.

With a small bit of reluctance, Kanaya lowered her weapon gently to her side. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out. The crowd was silent in anticipation. In a flash of actions, Kanaya raised her chainsaw again, revving it up and riling the crowd, and descended upon the boxes, kicking them off the table at the same time. The boxes came apart enough for Eridan to push his legs out of the bottom box. Kanaya revved her chainsaw in defiance of Sollux, a deep shriek of fury coming from deep within her as she glared at him.

"Of course! I should've known you would deny us of such a treat as seeing a mutant's blood spilled in such a magical way! What a harlot— but of course: you're an ex-juggalo. If I was Llonde, I would've killed you the moment you stepped outside that communal rumpus swarm!" Sollux exclaimed, traveling down to the ground floor from his seat in the audience.

Ready to spar, Kanaya rushed toward the purpleblood, but was stolen away by Eridan before she could get the chance. She made short work of the indigobloods holding Karkat down and escaped with him thrown over her shoulder. They quickly absconded to her Beetley.

"Vantas!" Sollux called after Eridan. The mutant turned around, subconsciously massaging his hand. "I just wanted to say thanks before you leave. Thanks for the information. I'm going to use it to take down your flush-fling in court and make him wish he'd never even took his first breath. After that, I'm going to wring your neck for what you did with Aradia. Then, I'm going to come after your moirail. She'll regret the day she ever took Nitram's side. Especially when her head's hanging in my office." Sollux grinned maliciously.

Eridan grabbed his wand from his sneaker and began firing blasts of white toward the ringleader who seemed to dodge with ease. Was he even there? Eridan didn't know, but didn't particularly care. He just wanted to see the purpleblood turned to dust for his remarks toward Feferi. Furious, and fervent, he waved his wand in various manners and flicks, attempting every deadly spell and combination he could think of to try to pin Sollux. No whip, no shot, and no beam could come into contact with him.

"Eridan get your ass back here right now or you're going to be joining Aradia in the fucking graveyard!" Karkat screamed from the safety of the entrance.

"Funny how you've assumed Vantas would be of any standing to be in the same graveyard!" Sollux snickered. He stood atop a trapeze with a duplicate of himself(a figment of his strange mind powers, surely) on the other trapeze. "Funny how you've assumed Vantas would be of any standing to be in a graveyard at all!" the other Sollux cackled.

Eridan squinted, looking between the two, and unsure which one was real if indeed either of them were.

"Flip a coin!" suggested the left Sollux. "Heads, it's me!" said the other. "Left is me!" "Try your luck!" "You're surely doomed!" "Yes, yes, doomed!"

Taking a chance, Eridan aimed a narrow beam of white light at the Sollux on the left. The troll was knocked off their feet and splattered on the ground. It was made clear that it wasn't actually Sollux by the way the right side's Sollux cackled and crooned with laughter. There was a dark chuckle behind Eridan, causing him to spin around. A hand closed around his throat and lifted him off his feet.

Sollux sighed and looked at Eridan, his eyes half-lidded. "Sorry about all that, my followers like to pretend they're me. It's kind of admira— I'm sorry, can you not cough at me? It's really rude to interrupt. Anyway— they think they're good at imitating me. They haven't nailed the longing for the cold embrace of death in my voice yet or my general sense of not-wanting-to-be-here, either. It'd be best if you forgot everything you saw here. Apologies for losing you after our little talk. Hope you remember what'll happen if you testify in court."

"I'm not afraid of you," Eridan squeaked out. He scratched and clawed at Sollux's enclosed fist to no avail.

"That's cute." Sollux threw Eridan to the ground. "The world just has no place for muties. It's a wonder you even got a lusus. I hope you understand. But, I'll keep everything between us." He pushed Eridan back down once the mutant attempted to get the jump on him. "I don't respect you or your apparent disrespect for my personal boundaries, but I think you deserve to get culled on your own at some point. Odd how Alternia's system hasn't gotten to you yet. Someone up at the top must really like you."

Before Eridan could spring on Sollux again, Kanaya's Beetley took them both by surprise, running through the two. Eridan stuck to the hood, laughing breathlessly at Sollux who was thrown over the table still in the middle of the tent. The Beetley sped off and out of the carnival with Eridan flipping off the purpleblooded community.

 

**Atenns City. Karkat's Apartment. Eighth day of the Second Dark Perigee. 2:36AM.**

Troll Prince's Purple Rain played in the background of the part-apartmental hive, part-grub care center. A single psionic grub crawled over the radio, somehow amplifying it. Karkat and Eridan didn't mind as they paid more attention to their takeout shawarma(another universal constant).

"I can't believe you are this indulgent in Troll Prince," Kanaya moaned.

"If I'm not, then who will be?" Karkat shrugged.

"Fef doesn't let me play his music on account of hearing Sexy M.F. once," Eridan chuckled.

"Listen, we all knew Feferi didn't have any taste in music the moment she tried to make us listen to Troll Kesha at her first party," Kanaya said, taking a swig of tea afterward.

The other two nodded in concurment. A grub was heard breaking something in the background. Karkat rushed to the source of the sound. A limeblooded grub climbed into his chair once he left, smiling at Eridan for no discernible reason.

"You know, shawarma actually kind of sucks," Eridan said to Kanaya.

The three would be hanging out at Karkat's place for a few more hours. Meanwhile, I, the main character of this story, lest we forget, was interrogating a very important troll.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god i really hope sollux isn't ooc or my characterization streak is gone :'''') oh and we'll be returning to the more serious stuff shortly sorry about this random adventure into wacky purpleland. I just wanted to write a (for the most part) self-contained story on the side.
> 
> also my art tumblr is @thatonepieceofart if yall are curious.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the hiatus I've been really busy :')

 

**Atenns City. Condesce Street. Seventh day of the Second Dark Perigee. 11:30PM.**

There was no way Equius hadn't been interrogated by sometroll other than me. All I could hope for was that no one had made him change his story. That was a far shot in hope, but that was always more Eridan's thing. I don't have time for hope. What I, forevermore, should need to focus on is saving the lives of those who cannot defend themselves, therefore, relying on shields of teal such as myself. A burdensome task, yes, but one that I had to take up, else risk Alternia falling into a state much like the one before us.

Equius was being held in the Downtown Detentional Center. I suppose, if it wasn't I who had taken up his case, he might have been designated "culled-without-case". With no one to defend him, he had no chance in court. Another teal might have been much weaker than I, and thus, it made sense to me why he would blurt my name once asked who his legislacerator was. I couldn't sit there and tell the feds that it was a lie. His life was in my hands at that point. I had, however, gotten an angry call from a very upset Xigisi who had heard the story from his indigo friend and had desired to take up the case himself. Then, later, I was confronted by Captor who declared my taking the case an act of war. A million other calls came from happy lowbloods, glad that i had chosen Nitram to defend. Of course, I couldn't help but think about all this as I drove down to Equius' location.

_" SCREEEEEEEE-EEET"_

My vespa screeched to a halt as I pumped the brakes. The direction I faced was a dark alley on Condesce Street(not to be confused with Condescension Ave, Condy Way, or Empress Boulevard) right between Amisia's Art Palace and Mercie's Mercenaries For Hire HQ. I spun it around and stomped the kickstand down. Trolls were afraid to steal anything colored in a shade of blue, so there was hardly any worry to leaving the vehicle on the street. Teal courage had sparked my investigatorial instincts as to what had made the sound.

Making sure my footsteps were as light as possible, I tiptoed my way into the darkness, leaving what light there was behind me. Silently, I cursed at my tealness which had beckoned me here. It wasn't a worry for my sake, but for others like Eridan or Equius if I was to be culled in ignorant curiosity.

"Shh... shhh... be quiet."

_" AEI_ EEE _ EEE _ E! _ SCREE _ EEE _ E! AIE _ EO _ O _ OO _! "_

"I said, 'be quiet'! This doesn't hurt THAT much! You big baby!"

As I delved deeper into the darkness, I began to realize the scene in front of me was not one of danger, but of rescue. A bronze-blooded troll was shoosh-papping a huge, white beast. It was someone's lusus, and it was bleeding cerulean. It was a wonder that the beast wasn't attempting to murder the bronzeblood, but judging by the wounds on its neck, it wasn't in any shape to do anything. It was like a mixture between a hopbeast and a eightstingbeast. With caution, I approached the scene. With every step, the picture became clearer. The bronzeblood had two metal legs, and there was a duffel bag beside him. He had produced some medical supplies like alcohol from it to pat at the hopstinger's wounds. His worried look told me that he truly cared for all lusii. The lusus didn't seem to mind him after all — but, the pain of the rubbing alcohol was a clear nuisance. The bronzeblood seemed adept at calming her down.

"Shhh... shh... it's alright, girl... it's alright... you're a big girl, aren'tcha? I don't see a lot of you around. I bet your troll misses you. She's out there somewhere. I'm gonna get you some help," he soothed the beast as it cried out weakly. "You need to rest... shhh..." He wrapped his arms around it's long, slender neck and rested his head against it, closing his eyes.

There didn't seem to be any danger present, thus, I made my presence known with a clearing of the throat. The bronzeblood immediately woke from his slumber and nearly tripped over the beast, trying to hug the beast tighter. He stared daggers into me. His jacket was rather shabby, his hair slicked back with water, and his sign much like a brown scarab. I held out my hands, attempting to convey the lack of danger in my being there. He wasn't convinced, even when I stood mere feet before him, holding my hands behind my head.

"Who are you?" he asked. The question baffled me since I was a well-known legislacerator.

"Feferi Pyrope. And you?" I asked in return.

The bronzeblood stared, wide-eyed. He stammered before arriving at a half-assed conclusion. "Uh. Vris— Vrisko... Vrisko Amporo... Vrisko Amporo." A blatant lie.

"'Vrisko', do you intend to report this lusus to the Loose and Found?" I inquired.

"Of course. But, I've seen Loose and Founds... They don't treat them for injuries like they should. I make sure they're patched up before they're sent out. Could you make the call? I'm glad you're here, actually. I didn't want to leave the alleyway and leave this lusus to go get some troll," "Vrisko" explained.

"Sure thing. Why can't you make the call?" I pulled out my palmhusk, dialing the number.

"No phone. Hard to come by the lower on the spectrum you are, am I right?" "Vrisko" chuckled. It was forced by the way he forcibly moved his shoulders up and down. It wasn't true, but I wasn't going to argue. If someone like Gamzee could get a phone, I had no doubt that this bronze was capable of attaining one.

Eyes trailing to the duffel bag, I gestured to it whilst the palmhusk was between my shoulder and ear. I was curious as to its contents. "Vrisko" just shook his head in response.

Once I had gotten ahold of the Loose and Found, I reported the incident and waited with "Vrisko" for the officials to show up. We lazed against its resting body. "Vrisko" seemed disturbed. I pried into the issue.

"I've just gotta tell you... I've never seen a dead lusus," he said, turning to face me with fear now in his eyes. "Someone dragged her out and stabbed her three times in the neck. They wanted to make sure she wasn't waking up. I noticed a saddle on her, but I took it off and threw it away. It was kind of sweaty. No one's getting much use out of it unless they don't have any olfactory sense. But, it was just disturbing to see her lying there in a pool of blue blood. I could see someone taking out a lowblood lusus, but not someone as high up as cerulean."

I pondered on the information. My thinktank was coming to conclusions that were making my bloodpusher stop. "So tell me, how is she alive now?"

"I have an ability that can bring dead things back to life. It's common for bronzebloods to have abilities relating to life. I think," "Vrisko" mumbled. I nodded, though I wasn't entirely sure myself if this was in fact the case. There was something fishy about the whole thing.

"You wouldn't happen to know about the Makara V. Nitram case, would you? A fellow bronzeblood being on trial?" I asked.

"Oh, yes. I've heard. It's all Vriska can talk about. Oh, she hates that Captor girl. I forgot— you are Pyrope, aren't you?" There it was. I knew he knew my name. "Yes, we're rooting for you." Unfortunately, his schmoozing wasn't going to distract me from his glaring misstep in remaining anonymous.

"Okay, I really just want you to know that you can trust me; and, I'm not going to question why you're here. I'm not going to tell anyone who you are, but you should really just come clean about it because there's no way that there is a 'Vriska' that you know, whilst being a 'Vrisko'. Troll names aren't that close," I remarked, putting the pieces together. "And... everyone knows Vriska Ampora is always one step behind you, Mr. 'Vrisko Amporo'."

"Vrisko" blushed a royal pink, much deeper than Eridan's. He stood immediately, gathering his duffel bag. He looked back at me after taking a couple steps and dropped it, releasing a few contents such as the rubbing alcohol, copious amounts of jewelry, and an Heir's Headpiece. The longhornbeast's sign was very standout on the fuschia jewel centered in the golden crown.

"Oh!" I could barely hold back a smile as a scrambled to stand up. I bowed. "Tavros Peixes! It's an honor."

Tavros slid on his knees toward the mess he made, hurriedly shoving everything in his bag. "You can't tell anyone about this! I gotta get out of here..."

"Hey, it's cool. We cool. I'm cool. It's all cool. It be coo'. I just gotta say; I think what you're doing is just great," I said with an exhale that was much longer than needed. "Hey, how come you don't have a mermaid tail like on TV? Ampora always carts you around in that tank." I sucked in breath through closed teeth. "In my opinion, kinda makes you look—"

He held up a hand, signaling for me to stop. "Weak. I know. She makes me put that on. That's what she wants. Vriska always gets what she wants," Tavros sighed, a pained look in his eyes. He raised a brow. "You seem alright enough with secrets, being a famous legislacerator. I assume you keep a lot. You must know the infamous Eridan Vantas' blood color. Big secret, there."

Suspicious of where this was going, I said slowly, "Yes, that's correct. What are you looking to get out of it?"

"I propose a trade in secrets. I'll give you a new one in return for that color. I'm just curious," Tavros said, looking up at me.

"What will you tell me?"

"Tell me his color first," Tavros said.

My eyes darted left and right. "Can I get a hint?"

"Blood color first."

"Please."

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Please."

"No! Stop it!" Tavros groaned.

I gave a deep breath. "Pretty please with grubsauce on top."

The fuschiablood bellowed in frustration. "The color! What is it?" Tavros demanded, standing up and walking toward me menacingly. He towered over me as a fuchsia should. I'm sure his robotic legs added a few inches. I shrunk under his immense shadow. He could've mauled me in a second according to the lack of patience and amusement in his dark eyes, despite what his behavior was toward the lusus.

"Ash pink," I admitted quickly, looking down in fear and shame. My bloodpumper was pulsing in my throat.

At first he seemed shocked. His expression became questioning. Then, he decided to hide his emotion altogether though the gears turning in his thinktank weren't very difficult to see. "Thanks," Tavros smiled easily. He opened his arms for a hug. Confusedly, I stumbled into his chest where he clutched me tight with strength enough to crush my entire being. He thrust his head between my ear and shoulder, careful to avoid slamming his long horns into my face. "There are hands in this case that you'll never see." He clung to me tighter as if the information pained him to say. "She's hidden in the shadows. She's going to make her pay."

With that, I was pushed to the ground. Tavros grabbed his duffel bag and ran away. I examined the sleeping lusus. She seemed alright. I had to stay behind and wait for the Loose and Found, else I'd be doing the Heir a disservice. He seemed nice enough. Already, he was attempting to reverse the harsher policies on Alternia such as the ones dealing with how easy it was to get culled. He was quite the blessing for justice.

I felt something in the curls of my hair. I pulled out a piece of paper revealing what must have been a username: adiosCuller. A smile touched my cheeks. I put it back where I found it. He was nice for a friend, but the beautiful Leijon was ever present in my mind. It was a nice thought, though.

 

**Atenns City. Downtown Detention Center. Seventh day of the Second Dark Perigee. 12:03AM.**

With no time to lose, I hurried down to the center to get to Equius before anyone could become impatient and cull him before the case. I had already stalled with the Loose and Found, but I was going to be damned if anyone would stop me now.

Of course someone had to stop me in the lobby, and of course it had to be Xigisi. He smiled at me as I ran through the lobby. He set his coffee down on the front desk, breaking up from his conversation with other teals to flag me down.

"Hey! Pyrope! Hey, calm down! Where're you going in such a hurry?" he chuckled breathlessly, his hands on my shoulders. He stepped back once I was thoroughly halted and pushed his turquoise glasses up on his face. "Can't thank you enough for your defense. So, I gotta ask you again: won't you go out to eat with me? My treat, Pyrope, I swear. I'm not as stingy as Azdaja claims, I swear." He may have sworn, but his airy tone gave me a sense of disbelief.

"Someday, Galekh. Someday," I groaned. I made an effort to try and sidle past him, but he was too fast. I gave him an unimpressed look.

"Hey, I heard you're going up against the justicewhore again. Is that true?" Galekh asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, but please stop calling her that. There's nothing wrong with a goldblood with a passion for justice. She's just like us, but her blood is different, so what?"

"It's just that..." Galekh shrugged uncomfortably. "It's a teal thing. You're the only one that's even remotely okay with her doing this shit. You know I'm not the only one calling her a 'justicewhore'. Gog, you sound like you're sleeping with her."

I silently fumed.

"Oh gog. You _are_ , aren't you?"

"No!" I burst out. I clapped my hands over my mouth and sighed. "Just because more than one person calls her that doesn't mean it's politically correct!" I crossed my arms. "Or nice!"

"Gog, stop being the PC legislacerator. No one needs to be the PC legislacerator."

"Well, I am the PC legislacerator, mister, and I happen to take my job pretty seriously. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a client I need to get to," I said, brushing by him with brute force. He began following at my heels.

"Well, I have a client here too! Actually she's connected to your case. Planning on being a witness to Nitram's history. Nepeta Zahhak," he bragged. "She's a cutie, not gonna lie. Might ask her out later. A little wild though. I can see why she'd be friend with a lowblood."

"Let's not go there," I warned.

Finally, I reached Equius' cell and Galekh left us be. The indigo guards allowed me into the holding block. Trolls were never ones for safety. Equius was loking so much worse for the weather. He could barely pick himself up since his robotic parts were in such decay. Where his smell was worse before, I could barely stand his odor now. It was like someone set fire to a dumpster and then threw a horse in. His bags were noticeably deeper underneath his shades. I didn't want to see his eyes. Despite these setbacks in presence, I took a seat in front of his bed.

"I've got new info, Nitram. Things I'm sure you don't want to hear," I said, clasping my hands and looking away from what must have been desperate eyes. "I had an anonymous encounter who gave me some things to think about. I still believe in your innocence, but I foresee it will be an even worse uphill battle."

"I expected no less from my case. I don't care what happens... all I want is for Aradia's true murderer to receive their well-earned justice," Equius said, his voice heavy and tired. "I loved Aradia with all my being. But, she loved Sollux, and I'm starting to come to terms with that. I only wished that she truly picked him over me."

"Yes, well... I found her lusus. She was revived by said anonymous encounter."

"A fuchsia, obviously. They're a long way from home, but they must have a big heart. I'm grateful for them. I was worried about her," Equius sighed. "If I'm going to be honest with you, I must admit that I did have a rendevouz with Aradia on the night of the murder. There was a riot going on and we did some things that I'm no longer proud of."

"I'm aware. Eridan informed me."

Equius shuffled uncomfortably. "Oh. I forgot about him. Yes. I'm no longer proud of these things. However, it seemed Aradia knew something was going on that night. She left her lusus to me, telling me to use her as transport. Apparently, she would come in need. And, Aradia wasn't wrong— she never was. She was funny like that. She could always predict the future in a way. She just got those feelings that she couldn't shake. I used her lusus to get home, and then, escape from the cullers. They sent a blast my way. My memory's foggy, but I know I had to leave her behind."

"So, the holes in her neck... they wouldn't happen to have been a broken bow?" I asked.

"No, of course not. I didn't even know she was truly dead. It is technically my fault if anything tragic befell her since I stowed her away in an alleyway before hoofing it on foot to your place. I was under the belief that she had been included in my sentence due to the inference that she dead because they couldn't find her. They told me I was responsible even when I escaped on lususback. Her back," Equius said. He looked down in thought. His grimace widened. "She's dead, huh? I can't believe someone would kill a lusus. A troll, yes. A lusus, that means no harm, and only serves to protect and nurture a young troll? What has the world come to?"

"I'm just as surprised," I said. "Quite the disturbing sight, I'd say. I only got there after she was brought back to the realm of the living."

"Lucky you. I've seen dead lusii at The Graveyard. Lower bloods, of course. The Graveyard was really just a big trash heap that dead trolls and lusii were piled onto, but Aradia thought it'd be nice to give it a name," Equius mused. He sighed with a smile. "She was so _bizarre_. " That word might have offended some to hear themselves being described that, but the way he said it made it seem like the highest compliment. "She was so high above me, but so down to Alternia's soil."

I teared up a little. Emotions compelled me to grab his hand and shelter it in my own.

"I'm going to get her the justice she deserves," I declared.

Equius was silent for a while, surprised at my sudden motion. He laughed quietly and shook his head. He smiled at me. "You're everything right now."

I blushed in response. It was the first time I truly felt inspired to help another troll since Maryam's case. It was almost disappointing when he pulled away from my grip.

"Was there anything else you found out at the scene?" Equius asked, a bronze tinge on his face which began dripping with sweat.

"Apparently, there's more to the story. In my opinion, the anonymous troll made it sound like it was a revenge murder. Though, the use of present tense confused me." I rubbed my chin, thinking. What was I thinking? This whole interaction felt chummier than usual even with the lingering stench of death in the air.

"What was their message?"

"'She's going to make her pay.' I have no idea what that means," I groaned. "I've been thinking about it since he told me, but I just can't wrap my head around it."

Equius leaned forward and removed the headband which I had made a habit of always wearing. My hair fell over my eyes.

"Maybe you need to stop wrapping this around your head, then," he said with a laugh. I giggled. He gave the band back to me and I put it back in its original place.

"Thanks. Now I can really come up with a great defense," I chuckled with him. Signalling a change of mood, I cleared my throat. "Seriously though.. seriously. I am getting worried that there are trolls out there who want to silence this whole case. This girl... I don't know who she is. Did Aradia have any enemies?"

Equius pondered on the question for a few moments. "Yes," he stirred. "She never seemed to enjoy my talking with Nepeta. It was just something about her being too close to me for being so far away just bothered her. She also had a problem with this violetblood girl. They played this online game which I told her was dangerous, but she never listened. Aradia wasn't around, and the violetblood had done something to their friend. She never disclosed his identity—" (Equius tugged at his new orange jumpsuit which still bared his brown arrow symbol.) "—but he was hurt, badly. Aradia stopped talking to her and vowed to make her pay, much to her friend's discontent. So, she never did. Another friend did go against the violetblood and paid a large price for it. I can't imagine losing psiionics like she did. I think she's dead, now. Used as a helm or something like that."

"Thanks, Equius. That's quite a lot for now," I said, satisfied.

I stood from my seat and shook his hand. He kissed my knuckles in gratitude. Out of his line of sight, I rubbed my hand on my pants, trying to rid my hand of his sweat. After that, I exited his cell.

But I never would have expected to hear the sound of a snap, followed by the sound of cutting flesh. There was a thud. I turned around. The indigo guards had filed into the cell to get a closer look and take action if need be.

Equius Nitram laid there, doused in bronze, broken glasses between his thumb and forefinger. It was the first time in a long time that I had truly cried.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and another one bites the dust
> 
> also i ship fef w everyone now its official


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're back, a feferi story

 

**Atenns City. Kanaya's Hive. Eighth day of the Second Dark Perigee. 3:12AM.**

 

"I think this case is getting too dangerous, dear."

I leaned back in my seat, hands clasped in my lap, and thinking face put on. I clenched my fists. Looking down at them, they seemed so useless. I couldn't believe I had let Equius die on me. It felt like everything up to that point was... pointless. It was a wonder I was even able to move after witnessing his death, but thankfully Kanaya and Eridan had come to pick me up. There was no way I'd be able to drive under the stress. Most trolls like Karkat and Kanaya had seen many troll deaths, but since I had grown up in a relatively peaceful and highblooded part of Atenns, I hadn't seen much death. I had witnessed a few murders, but suicide was an ultimately more chilling experience, as it turns out.

Anyone who says Tealbloods are stone cold, justice and blood-hungry, completely hatred-filled trolls were not present after Equius' suicide. Tealbloods had crowded around my huddled figure in the Detention Center Lobby. They offered me support and company. Bronya, known for being a leader in our legislacerator leagues, had called Eridan for me. I would be eternally grateful for my teal colleagues.

At Kanaya's block, I was slightly disappointed to find the amount of wrigglers crawling around because Karkat couldn't leave them unchecked at his apartment. He had found one killed by another after returning from the carnival, so his fears weren't unfounded.

Behind the table in the middle of the kitchen block, Karkat fussed with a few wrigglers, trying to get them in order. When he heard our conversation, he turned around with an apprehensive expression.

"I'm with Kanaya on this one. I think you're starting to get in over your head. Do you have any idea who the suspect even is at this point?" Karkat asked in the middle of tearing a rustblooded grub away from a purpleblood.

I groaned and slid down the chair lazily. "I have a couple of guesses, but from what you all have told me about the Purple Carnival, all signs are pointing to Makara," I acknowledged. "But, I just get the feeling there's an unseen hand. Someone hasn't yet presented themselves in the case..." I looked up in thought. "That, or they've been watching from the shadows."

"Well, when we went to interrogate Makara ourselves, he was pretty freaky, Fef. I don't know that I would pin a murder on him. He looks like the kind of guy who could low-key take you out and slide the blame to His Honorable Tyranny. He's got that weird purple Juju nonsense. Makes sense—he looks to be the next Grand Highblood," Eridan said. He rubbed the back of his hand nervously.

"Hard to believe Diemen's almost out the door. Seemed to me that he'd be sticking around," I ventured.

"Have you spoken with Captor lately?" Kanaya asked, her chin delicately resting on her knuckles.

I shrugged and shook my head. "Not lately. I have been thinking about taking her advice though."

"You? Considering Terezi Captor's advice about something? Don't you guys have a word for trolls out of their caste's abilities like her?" Karkat laughed as he pulled a teal grub out of his mug of Pibb.

"Yes, but I don't like to use it, and any teal worth their salt as a legislacerator doesn't use it either," I corrected him.

"How do you determine whether you're a legislacerator as a tealblood? Do they put you on the Trollstitution and see if you make a face of disgust or if you soil it?" Eridan guffawed. Karkat joined his laughter.

Startling all of us, Karkat dashed like a madman toward Eridan, hopping over his seat to get to a jadeblood grub who was about to touch the flames currently burning in Kanaya's fireplace. I stood from my seat and decided to take my cup of coffee to go. And I was going to pay Makara a visit.

 

**Skelarta. Sollux's Mansion. Eighth day of the Second Dark Perigee. 1:12AM.**

 

  
After five successful knockings, three tries at the hand-knock, and four attempts with the doorbell, a cleaning troll finally answered the door. It was good that someone came to let us in eventually. Riding back home on the uncovered vespa, leaving it to the current elements pouring down, would have been unpleasant. Plus, Eridan was beginning to chill. We had to get inside for reasons now more than just continuing the investigation.

Standing in front of us was a goldblood with scourdray. She removed her goggles to peer down at us. Her voided eyes revealed nothing but a hidden misery. I wasn't sure how she saw us, or if she really had. Probably the latter, because she simply walked past us without a word. When we moved aside for her, she snapped her head toward the direction of our shuffling feet. She stared in the direction of the noise for a few seconds.

"Who's there? Speak! This is private property! Mr. Makara is not interested in visitors at the moment!" she stated. "Leave now or I will be forced to call the Subjuggulators!"

My eyes shifted from her slumped figure to the door. It was open. I saw an opportunity and grabbed Eridan's hand, dragging him into the harsh light of the mansion. Not knowing my own strength and his frailty, I ended up tossing him into the wall from the force of my run. Before the goldblood could run back in, I shut the door and shoved her scourdray in front of it.

Huffing, I slid down the scourdray and onto the floor grasping my knees. I smiled up at Eridan who was recovering from being slung into a wall. He helped me up and we became each other's support. It was hard to hear the muffled screams behind me, but I knew I had to press on for Equius' sake.

The entrance block was larger than anything I had ever seen. I knew the mansion was large, and placed quite precariously on a cliffside with the ocean below; but, I had not imagined the inside would be so spacious. It almost seemed bigger on the inside. There was a second story at least since the ceiling was so low at some points, and much higher at others. It was as if the hive was made by impatient hands, or even many different hands with many different visions which the scrambled outside further evidenced. The hive was all different vibrant colors, unusual for highbloods, but not purples. Lookholes were different shapes and sizes; the roof was slanted in some areas, straight, rounded, and curved everywhere; and, it seemed as if different blocks or other types of areas were added on as afterthoughts. They were all exciting, yet foreboding — the possibilities that laid within the mansion. My teal blood demanded I explored it all, but my more rational parts commanded me to go after the heart of the situation.

First I had to have a guide. The entranceblock, filled with hornpiles, computers, routers, mainframes, processors, and even more complex machines, was a maze in of itself. I wonder how the maid could have gotten around in all this mess or why she hadn't tidied it up.

My attention was set on a distant conversation which was closing in on us. Eridan clutched my shoulder tightly. He clearly recognized one of the voices.

"Yes, yes. All in due time, Codakk. I will go about securing an highblood matesprit for you. You've served me well."

"<>Th — thank you.<> I've been so desperate. I'm approaching my last year. I keep filing for more time on the buckets. They said next time they're gonna deny me. <3< If that Ampora wasn't making decisions for Peixes I might could...<3< Oh! I could! But I don't want to be culled! I can't be culled! I just want to get off this wretched planet.<> Please! don't let me be culled.<>"

There was a harsh sound. A crack, and then a menagerie of honks.

"Relax," came the first voice slowly. He was deathly calm and his words calculated. "Always so tense."

I tried to listen further, but was yanked backwards by Eridan, who I had forgotten was there for the moment. He faced me with shaking eyes and a bloodpusher I could hear pumping in my ears.

"We need to leave. Fuck the investigation. We're not interrogating him. I tried once. I told you this was a bad idea," Eridan whispered. He tugged on me again, but saw I wasn't budging. "Come on," he urged, this time a little louder.

Though he was scared, I couldn't just leave. This could be the big break.

"Eridan, please. You know I won't let him harm you," I calmly reminded him.

I gave him a quick pap and a shush before walking on in the direction of the voices. They were quieted now, but I remembered where they were, working my way through the maze created by large generators and computer systems. The end led to two sets of stairs which swiveled about each other like twirling ribbons. There were no horn piles to be seen. My memory either deceived me or I was too late to find the trolls previously holding a conversation. I racked my thinkstump for a solution.

"Eridan," I said, after a moment's thought. "We need to split up. You take the left, I'll go right."

Eridan gazed up at the seemingly neverending staircases in horror and shock that I would even suggest something like that. A drop of green liquid hit his forehead. His mouth fell open, and he covered the bottom of his face with a scarf like a slowbeast tucking into its shell. He backed away, shaking his head. I pursued him, placing my hands on his shoulder.

"Please," I implored. "This case is so important to our cause. Are you going to let fear drive you to flee without hesitation?"

"Fef..."

"Eridan, if this case goes unsolved, we may see a wave of injustice against lowbloods like never before seen. If we win, we could get a chance for peace."

"Fef, I—"

"Don't be afraid. We have nothing to fear but injustice."

Eridan looked as if he was going to be sick. He broke violently from my grasp and shoved me out of the way. He wrapped his scarf tighter around his face and stomped up the right staircase. I nodded toward him and took the left. His pace being more brisk brought him to whatever place his staircase landed on before I could even meet him again.

To my right was another set of stairs, but the front path into a block was far more interesting. The color theme was purple. I had noticed a disparity between shades of purple and shades of green throughout the whole hive. The block itself was rather spacy with little more than a large olympic pool-sized recuperacoon and a few horns scattered about. Some were placed in the recuperacoon. I exited, finding nothing else interesting about it.

Up the stairs was a rather straightforward hallway with blocks all on one side. The first was a block full of means with which to gamble — a serious crime in the eyes of Alternia punishable by death). A few lowbloods(all below the green hue) seemed to be drifting between tables with cards and poker chips. Some played roulette, and others just sat around having a drink. They looked chummy and seemed full of comradery. I almost wanted to join them, but my mission was too impertinent.

Next, was a block almost as large as the entranceblock. Cages spread about the block, stacked on top of each other and beside one another. They were filled with many types of land-dwelling lusii. It was as big of a maze as the room below. My ears pricked to the sound of loud sobbing, and thus I pursued it. A small troll, no older than six sweeps wept in a corner beside a hopbeast which was crooning. Most of the lusii were.

"Why are you crying, miss?" I asked her. She was a rustblood with pigtails and I couldn't help but feel sorry for her situation. I was sure she, like the other lowbloods, lived here. I just hoped it wasn't in the cages with all these lusii.

"I'm sorry," she bawled. "I don't even know! I just had to come here. Something compelled me. And seeing all these poor things..." she looked around the block "... I just started crying for them! I don't even care about them! I'm sorry..." she began to cry silently.

She seemed to troubled to eke any information out of. I exited the block back out into the hallway.

The last block had walls splattered with bronze and cerulean blood. A struggle happened here. My interest was thoroughly piqued because this was almost certainly the claimed crime scene which was pure and untouched. No bloods higher than gold were found to be serving the hivehold, thus, I knew only one cerulean could've shed the blood — Aradia. I felt the stains. They had dried, but recently had been licked. It was certainly blood, and a certain goldblood had gotten a little weird about it. The blood was also natural. At one point in the room I could see the outline of a body though it was a vague one to be sure. The recuperacoon was upturned, green slime seeping through the floors. A dresser was thrown over, and pictures littered the floor. I picked one up. Sollux and Aradia smiled back at me in sepia tone. She was so pretty. I wondered if she ever smiled like that with Equius. I examined the backside of the picture again. No clues. I gathered the pictures up in my hoodie pocket in case an important message could be seen later. The room as a whole was a mess with little to no pieces of evidence. Curtains were ripped, and a lookhole had been opened. Circling water rushed the rocks below the hive. An easy escape, but one with the possibility of dying if the culprit's trajectory was even slightly off.

Piecing the block together, it seemed as if the culprit had stabbed the victim, and a fight broke out as the victim struggled to get away. The culprit likely stole away through the window. The bronze blood was disconcerting, but I could probably get a bronze lineup if need proved itself.

"Disgusting, isn't it?"

I whipped around, clutching my chest. My sight settled on the purpleblood in front of me who was calmly gazing about the block from the doorway. I recognized him from the picture as Sollux Makara.

"Yes... I suppose so," I answered with a catch in my voice. I pondered over what he meant by that.

Sollux let out a pained sigh. He appeared genuinely miserable that this girl, who was the light of his life, so suddenly flickered out. There was an anguish in the way his eyes creased behind his purple and green crescent shades. "A highblood dying at the hands of the dirt beneath them. That's what's disgusting in case you were wondering. Ms. Pyrope, I know all about your case. I know that justicewhore came by a week earlier. I know you sent your lackeys after me less than a day ago. I wonder why you're so adamant about solving what's in plain sight. I'm sure you see the blood before you?"

My blood flared at the sudden declaration of guilt he dished out. I had to admit that I could see where he was coming from since it seemed all in plain sight. I made to correct him. ",I know you feel despair for your loss, Mr. Makara. However we can never be sure—"

"I assure you, Ms. Pyrope that whatever Aradia wants to happen with this case... it will happen. She always did have a funny way of creating the future she desired," Sollux quibbled, looking down at his feet. He hadn't made eye contact with me yet. He was avoiding something. I knew he had more to say.

"Can you tell me more about her? About Aradia?" I queried. "I know blue bloods are known for psychic powers. Can you report her as having any?"

"Yes. She had a way with the mind. She could get any information out of you. She was a damn good reporter. And, she was a good leader. Our purples were so productive and fun when she was around. It seemed my performers could do anything when she conducted them. Great sense of direction. They loved her. Now, with me at the full helm, everything's falling to shit, it seems. They don't listen to me hardly. I just don't have her powers."

"Thank you, Sollux. You've opened up some possibilities," I grinned.

Sollux nodded and made a brushing motion. "Now, if you could please exit my hive in an orderly fashion, that would be just goddamn peachy. I nearly killed you for coming in this block for fuck's sake."

My feet began moving on their own even though I tried pulling them back. I started walking toward the lookinghole. My bloodpusher pumped louder and louder in my throat as I neared the open space. My nails embedded themselves into the walls as much as I could dig them in, but the lower half of my body was struggling to escape through the towering location. Below, was rushing water. I looked over my shoulder, and Sollux appeared.

"Good luck," he said, in a voice not entirely his own and yet all his own.

With a forceful shove which felt as if I was being pushed by two highbloods as opposed to just one, I was sent flying towards the black waves.

All I could do was brace for impact.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen im tryna be doin my boy sollux good but he's really hard to write for

**Author's Note:**

>  **Guide to the Swaps:**  
>  Burgundy-Gamzee  
> Bronze-Equius  
> Gold-Terezi  
> Olive-Kanaya  
> Jade-Karkat  
> Teal-Feferi  
> Cerulean-Aradia  
> Indigo-Nepeta  
> Purple-Sollux  
> Violet-Vriska  
> Mutant-Eridan  
> Fuchsia-Tavros


End file.
